150 Acre Wildfire Burning At Warren Grove Range, Officials Say

WARREN GROVE, NJ — A 150 acre wildfire is burning in Warren Grove as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Forest Fire Service officials.

Dubbed the "Whip-poor-will Wildfire," the blaze was 0 percent contained as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, officials said. The Forest Fire Service is working with New Jersey Air National Guard at the scene of the fire.

The fire is burning at the Warren Grove Air to Ground Range, where earlier in the day, military training was underway, according to Little Egg Harbor police. But no cause of fire has been released.

"Crews are utilizing a backfire operation to burn fuel ahead of the main body of fire which will help aid containment efforts," officials said.

The range, deep in the Pinelands, is used by military planes for practice bombing and strafing.

It's also where one of the largest wildfires in New Jersey history occurred. In May 2007, more than 17,000 acres burned, four homes were destroyed and more than a dozen others damaged when a flare deployed by an exercise at the range ignited the Pinelands and spread quickly due to dry weather and high winds, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.

As of the 4 p.m. update, no structures were threatened and no roads were closed. Ground crews and an observation helicopter were on the scene.